


Something Pretty Wonderful

by innerslytherin



Series: The Fifth Year [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-21
Updated: 2009-11-21
Packaged: 2017-10-03 12:55:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/innerslytherin/pseuds/innerslytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aaron's office after the case in Commack, Long Island.  <i>Tag to "Reckoner".</i> <b>SPOILERS.</b></p>
            </blockquote>





	Something Pretty Wonderful

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by [](http://resolucidity.livejournal.com/profile)[**resolucidity**](http://resolucidity.livejournal.com/) and [](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/profile)[**severity_softly**](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/).

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**Current mood:** |   
tired  
---|---  
**Current music:** | Citizen Cope - Sun Is Gonna Rise  
**Entry tags:** |   
[cm fics: season five series](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/tag/cm+fics:+season+five+series), [my cm fics: non-collaborative](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/tag/my+cm+fics:+non-collaborative), [my fics: criminal minds](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/tag/my+fics:+criminal+minds), [pairing: hotch/reid](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/tag/pairing:+hotch/reid)  
  
  
_**FIC: Something Pretty Wonderful, Hotch/Reid, PG**_  
**Title:** Something Pretty Wonderful  
**Pairings:** Hotch/Reid  
**Rating:** PG  
**WC:** 904  
**Summary:** Aaron's office after the case in Commack, Long Island. _Tag to "Reckoner"._ **SPOILERS.**  
**Notes:** Betaed by [](http://resolucidity.livejournal.com/profile)[**resolucidity**](http://resolucidity.livejournal.com/) and [](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/profile)[**severity_softly**](http://severity-softly.livejournal.com/).  
**Series:**  
1\. [Not So Alone](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/1031742.html)  
2\. [Weeping Endures for a Night](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/1032872.html)  
3\. [The Blink of an Eye](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/1033605.html)  
4\. [Trust and Regret](http://innerslytherin.livejournal.com/1034731.html)

   
   
"Could I see you in my office before you go?"  
   
Spencer had enjoyed visiting with his godson and Will, but he was frustrated with how wrong everything felt with the team.  He had given up for the night and was about to head home when he heard Aaron's voice.  He looked up, wondering if he was going to be yelled at for lying about his travel status.  After a moment he nodded and gathered his crutches.  As he went past Dave's office, he saw an approving look on Dave's face, and it gave him a funny warmth in the pit of his stomach.  Maybe he wasn't such a failure in Dave's eyes.  
   
He paused in the doorway of Aaron's office and then said, "Hi."  
   
Aaron was standing by the window, looking out at the rain, but he turned when Spencer came in.  "You didn't have to drop everything."  
   
Spencer had gotten pretty good at shrugging without falling over on the crutches.  "I was just finishing something up."  
   
Aaron nodded, his expression thoughtful.  Then he smiled faintly.  "Do you like tea?" he asked.  
   
Spencer preferred coffee, but only because of the caffeine content.  "Sure," he said, moving further into the office.  
   
"Sit down," Aaron offered.  "I'll be right back."  He went out, leaving Spencer to wonder what was going on.  People had helped him with things more often lately, when he had trouble managing the crutches, but this was weird.  
   
He nudged a chair closer to the desk, then sat down, arranging his crutches close at hand.  A minute later Aaron came back carrying two mugs.  "I brought the sugar packets too," he said, offering Spencer a faint smile.  He set a mug in front of Spencer along with a handful of sugar packets, then went around his desk to sit down.  
   
Spencer murmured his thanks and then they were silent for a moment as Spencer added sugar and dipped the tea bag a few times.  As the silence between them stretched, Spencer unexpectedly found his shoulders relaxing, his breathing deepening.  After a while he realized why this seemed familiar.  Often after cases Dave could be found in just this position, sitting in one of Aaron's guest chairs and sipping tea.  
   
Involuntarily he glanced out the window at the bullpen and saw Dave talking to Emily, who looked skittish and unhappy.  After a moment, though, Dave held out a hand.  Emily closed her eyes, then opened them and reached out to take it.  Spencer smiled and looked down at his tea.  Maybe things weren't going to be as bad as he'd feared.  
   
"What?" Aaron murmured.  Spencer looked up and found his superior's gaze on him.  
   
Spencer shrugged.  "Dave and Emily," he said.  It would be enough of an explanation.  They all knew, even if Aaron had opted out of the office pool on the diamond.  
   
Aaron smiled ruefully.  "This wasn't an easy case for either of them."  
   
Spencer nodded.  He'd only gotten a little bit of the story from Morgan, but it was enough.  Morgan had been pissed at Dave; he'd actually believed Dave had slept with the judge's wife.  Spencer knew better.  Dave might be divorced, but he believed in marriage, and Spencer was pretty sure that meant Dave wouldn't want to jeopardize someone else's marriage.  
   
"I didn't realize he had friends in organized crime," Spencer said.  
   
Aaron laughed.  "Dave knows people everywhere," he said.  "He has a talent for pissing people off but still making them loyal to him somehow."  
   
Spencer gave him a wry grin.  "He's not the only one."  
   
The amusement faded from Aaron's face.  "You lied to me, Spencer," he said.  "I couldn't let you fly with us."  
   
"You've done the same thing yourself," Spencer said, stung.  "We all knew you weren't ready to come back to work after--"

"Don't," Aaron said in a tight voice.  
   
"--after New York," Spencer continued.  "But we let you do it.  We knew you needed to be back with your family."  
   
Aaron was staring at him.  Spencer knew he'd expected Spencer to say Foyet, but Spencer was thinking of the way Aaron had nearly lost his hearing while they were chasing the Angel Maker's ghost.  
   
"My family."  Aaron's voice still sounded like it hurt him to talk.  
   
"Us," Spencer clarified.  "The team.  This is your family."  He paused.  "And you're our family.  You and Jack.  And we'll do anything we have to do to protect you both."  
   
Aaron shook his head, but Spencer had blinked once, and he had regretted it for the past two months.  He wouldn't make the same mistake again.  He wouldn't let Aaron pull away from the connection they shared.  It was too important, too necessary, for either of them to let go.  
   
"We need you," Spencer said.  "I need you."  He swallowed.  "And I have to make sure you know that."  
   
Aaron looked down.  "I was starting to think..." he whispered.  He shook his head.  "Spencer, we..."  
   
"You didn't care about Dave and Emily."  
   
"I'm different.  I'm the unit chief.  It would be--"  
   
"If you say inappropriate, I'm throwing something at you," Spencer interrupted.  
   
Aaron stared at him, his mouth open.  Then he started laughing quietly and kept laughing until he had to lean back in his chair.  He propped his head on one hand and looked at Spencer with open warmth in his eyes.  
   
"Dave was right," he murmured.  "I do have something pretty wonderful."  
 


End file.
